Upright piano



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Q W. H. BUTTON.

UPRIGHT PIANO. K No. 384,244. Patented June 12, 1888.

u x in" Z (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. H. BUTTON.

, UPRIGHT PIANO.

No. 384,244. Patented June 12, 1888.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT EEICE.,

VIIJLII'XM II. DUTTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

UPRIGHT PIANO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 384,244, dated June l2,1888.

Application tiled March l2, 15S?,

To @JZ zij/tom, it may concern.-

Beitknown that l, WILLIAM H. DUTToN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Irhiladclphia, in the State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inUpright Pianos, of which the following is a specitication.

My invention is applicable in general to that class of pianos which aretechnically known as uprightsj and in which the sounding board properoccupies a vertical or approximately vertical plane.

My invention is, however, especially applicable in connection with anupright piano invented by me, the upper portion or head of theframe-work of which is of skeleton or boxlike structure, in order torender said head of said frame work a musically vibratory framing, andto cause said head to embody tone conductors opening through the topofthe instrument, application rfor patent for which was filed October 9,1886.

My invention is also applicable in connection with an upright pianoinvented by me, the top portion or head of the framework of which isprovided with channels or tone conductors having forwardly facingmouths, application for patent for which was duly filed July l, ISST, asSerial No. 243,057.

Ny invention is further applicable in connection with a certainnprightpiano invented by me, and having a sounding dome orsonnding boardin front of the action, application for patent for which was executed byme, and tiled as Serial No. 230,579 contemporancously with thisapplication.

rlhe object of my present invention is the improvement of the musicalquality and tone of upright pianos in general, by the provision of apiano casing, adapted to incase the framework and the action, the frontof which casing is virtually a sounding hoard,a certain portion of it,namely the sounding` defiectorhereinafter described, being true soundingboard, and another portion ot' it, namely the panel portions of thefront, containing` adjustable sounding and reverberating slats,which,when closed, subserve the purpose of a sounding board, and, whenopen, snbserve the purpose of a reverberating deVice,-the said detlectorand slats serving, when conjointly employed, to transmit and magnify themusical tone from Renewed February 9.0, 1558,

Serial Neill-1,626. (No model.)

the vibration of the strings, to afford vent to the full tone and powerot' the vibrations,and, by rcverberating them, to improve their quality.

The foregoing objects I attain by a construction a good form of aconvenient embodiment of which is represented in the accompanyingdrawings and described in this specification, the particular subjectmatter claimed as novel being hereinafter definitely specified.

At the outstart, it is proper for me to state that I contemplateemploying` the sounding deflector in casings the fronts of which arepancled in the usual manner5-that I contemplate employing thereverberating slats without the sounding deflector, and either in theupper casing panel or that panel which is above the key board, or in thelower easing panel or that panel which is below the key board, or,again, in both;-that I contemplate the employment of the said detleetorand slats, either separately or conjointly, in connection with any formof upright piano5-but that I prefer to employ them both, in connectionwith an upright piano embodying each ofthe three inventions for which Ihave made applications as hereinbefore mentioned, in order to effectuatethe construction of an instrumentin which are united all of theadvantages which are separately incident to each ofthe said recitedinventions.

In the accompanying dra\vings,Fignre l represents in perspective a pianoembodying my improvements, the casing, key board, soundh ing defiector,and framework, being represented in dotted lines, and the sounding andreverberating slats, their frames, and certain convenient devices foroperating them, being alone shown in full lines. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview from the rear, of the tixed and sliding slat frames and the devicesfor moving the one within the other, the panel frame to which the fixedslat frame and the springs of the sliding slat frame are secured, being,for clearness, omitted. Fig. 3 is a front elevational view ot the framesrepresented in Fig. 2, the panel frame being supposed omitted. Figs. 4tand 5 are, respectively, sectional plan views in the plane ofthe dottedlines a; :u of Fig. 3, of theframesshown in said Iigure,-representing,in Fig. et, the partsin the positionswhich they occupy when theframesare moved to- ICO gether and the openings between the slats con sequently closed, and, in Fig. 5, the said parts in the positions which theyoccupy when the sliding frame is moved backward to form openings betweentheslats. Fig. 6 isafragmentary side sectional elevation ofthekeyhoardswell. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the slat pedal and thespring catch for maintaining it depressed. Fig. 8 is a side, sectional,elevation ofthe instrument represented in Fig. 1,l the side of thecasing nearest to the eye being supposed removed. v

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A is the casing which, except as to its front face, maybe of any usual or preferred character; c are the solid sides thereof;

B is the sounding board, which occupies a plane slightly inclined fromthe vertical, is stepped or fastened at its base in any usual manner,and as to its upper portion is connected with a pin block C, which is auintegral portion and the front face of the head of the framework of theinstrument.

D are the strings; DX the iron plate for said strings; and d the tuningkeys in the pi n block with which the strings are connected.

E are the usual vertical framing studs of the framework, spaced apartsuch distance as is usual, framed at their upper portions between thepin block C at the front and a transverse back board F at the back, and,at their lower portions framed to the base block G, or otherwisesupported and maintained as convenience of manufacture may dictate.

ax is a solid or imperforate cover or lid to the easing, preferablytixedly attached.

H is the key action, which may be of any preferred character;

I are the keys; and J the key bottom upon which said keys are mounted.

Each framing stud is from its base block or basal support throughout itsextent to the top level of the head, independent of and disconnectedfrom every other framing stud; so that between said studs and the pinblock and the back board are formed continuous interspaces, channels,passage-ways, or openings, which I term tone conductors L, and whichextend completely up to the under level of the imperforate cover or lidof the casing.

By virtue of the foregoing construction, as in my other invention, theentire upper portion or head of the framework is formed as a vibratingbox or frame bounded by the pin block infront, the back-board at theback, the outside studs at the sides, and the cover or lid at the top,inwhich box exist transversedivisions formed by the upper portions of theframing studs, between which divisions and the aforesaid boundingmembers the tone conductors exist and extend from the open spaces totherear of the main sounding board upward as far as the cover of theinstrument.

e are a series of forwardly-facing mouths to the tone conductors whichopen into or communicate with said conductors in such manner that toneemanating upward from the spaces to the rear of the sounding boardthrough said conductors, can find vent forward through said mouthsdirectly to the front, through the front face, so to speak, of theinstrument, and into the apartmentwithin which it isplaced. These mouthscan be formed as slots, cuts, perforations, recesses, or other openings,cut bodily through and out of the upper portion of the pin block, whenplaced inthe usual manner,- or else can be formed, without actualcutting or notching out ofthe upper portiouof the pin block, either hysimply leveling off ordressing away to a sufficient depth theentireupper portion of said block, or else by lowering the pin blocksufficiently to occasion the formation of these mouths between the coverand its thus, as aforesaid, lowered upper level.

ai is a sounding deliector, or sound board, extending, at a properangle, from the edges of the mouths of the tone conductors to the upperrail ot' the upper panel frame a of the front of the casing, so thattogether with said 4 upper panel frame the said deliector constitutesthe entire upper portion of the outside front face of said casing. I donot confine Inyself to any particular angle for this deflector and itmay lie in a horizontal, or almost horizontal plane and still subserve auseful purpose. Itis essentially a sounding board, extending from thepin block to the upper part of the vertical front portion of the casing.

a, Fig. 1, are brackets which serve as stiffening ribs to the soundingdefiector, and which are introduced, wherever used, in front of a studand therefore between adjacent mouths of the tone conductors, and belowthe solid cover. As many of these brackets are employed as may bedesired. yThey present an ornamental appearance and, when used, obviatethe necessity of otherwise bracing the sounding deliector.

Sis a sounding dome, composed of sounding board wood, and adapted tobefremovably secured along its upper edge to the pin block underneaththe deiieetor, and at its lower lateral portionsto the sides of thecasing. The dome, as stated, may, in the construction of a pianoembodying myr present improvements, be dispensed with.

ci is, as stated, the upper panel frame of the front of the casing. a5is the lower panel frame of said front, which lies below the key bottom.Each of these panel frames is preferably formed with continuous rails ofthin wood, and with end styles but no munions. Each frame is adapted tocontain a panel composed entirely of a series of suitably, butpreferably vertically, disposed sounding and reverberating slats, w ando.

The construction, application, and means for operating the slats, beingthe same in both panel frames, Ipwill limit my description to the upperframe.

Within the aforesaid panel frame is con tained a xed slat frame W, whichtills the essere 3 panel opening of said frame, and is rearwardlyextended therefrom to a desired depth. rlhe region of joinder betweenthe aforesaid two frames may be ornamented by beads, cbamfers, orotherwise at will.

V s a sliding slat frame con formed to snugly fit and have a telescopic,orin and out, movement of a predetermined extent within said fixed slatframe.

Each of the slat frames is provided with a series of parallel slats,wand o, spaced a given distance apart. The slats composing the seriesot' one frame are in their` mounting within their frame alternated withrespect to the mounting of the slats composing the series of the otherframe, so that the openings between the slats of either frame register'with the slats of the other frame,and,when the sliding frame is moved orclosed up within the fixed frame, the edges ofthe slats of therespective frames meet or lap and close the openings.

The form of the slats is not material. I prefer, howev r, to make themofsenii-cylindrical form, the convexity of the slats ot' the outer frameand the concavity ofthe slats ofthe inner frame facing toward the frontof the in- Strunient'.

All ofthe slats of both series arc preferably parallel, but the generaldirection or trend of the slats is not important. In the drawings I showthem as vertically disposed,and the slats of the respective series assemi cylinders of the saine diameter and so staggered or disposed thattheir longitudinal edges, when the frames are closed in, are adapted tomoet and abut together, the double series in such position presentingfrom above, or viewed sectionally as in Fig. 4t, a continuous andregular serpentine line.

The slats are each made of thin material, preferably sounding boardwood, so as to be thoroughly resonant.

W'hen the sliding frame is slid in to close the opeiiings between theslats of the respective series, the sint-composed panel shown in thedrawings presents from the front the appearance of a uniformlycorrugated surface composed of crests and bellows, and constitutes asounding face to the casing.

\Vhilc, as stated, I prefer the semi-cylindric form ot' Slat, I do notconfine myself to such form, and contemplate using slats which are,sectionally considered, either tlat, slightly curved, angular,semi-elliptic, or semi polygonal. .I do not moreover confine myself tomounting tbe slats within slat frames or within a panel frame strictlyas such, because, while such a monnti ng as that which I have describedis convenient, it is apparent that the invention is broad enough tocoveranysuch application ofthe slats to the front face ofthe casing as acabinet maker would naturally resort to.

rlhe object of this invention, se far as the mounting and moving oftheslats is concerned,

being to most cheaply and readily occasion the movement ot' one seriesof slats toward and from the other seriesf-it is obvious that I canresort to many constructions for securing this result', each seriesbeing, if desired, mounted in a movable frame, and the two frames beingboth relatively movable, or either one tixed and the other relativelymovable. I prefer, however, the construction which I have representedand described and in which the inside and innermost frame moves.

Many mechanical devices operated by a pedal, a draw-stop, or a hand,knee, or elbow lever, may obviously be adapted to effectuate themovement ot' either or both slat frames. I find it convenient to employa pedal and lever connection operative only upon the inner slat frame,and of the following construction:

T is a sint-pedal, being asupplcmentalpedal conveniently disposedbetween the loud and soft pedals of thc action, and operating uponahorizontal first order pedal lever t, connected with a vertical pedalrod X suitably housed or stayed, in the form of application represented,just inside ot' the left side of the casing. This pedal rod rises in aplane parallel with and adjacent to the plane of the. inside face of thepedal frames, and its upper extremity comes immediately beneath thehorizontal arm of a vertically disposed right angular crank,which I termthe rocker bell crank t?, fulcrumed against thc inside face of the upperpanel frame, the vertical arm of which crank bears against a lug 'aXprojecting radially forward from a vertically disposed rock shaft Usuitablyhouscd or journaled, coiwciiieiitly,within extended extremitieswY of the flat upper and lower rails ofthe fixed slet-frame. The rockshaft extends beyond both of its bearings w", being suitably steppedwith respect thereto, and, as to its extended extremities, is tixedlyequipped with two right angular bell crank levers, which I term framecranks a', which lie, in a horizontal plane parallel respectively withthe planes of the upper and lower rails oi' the tixed slatframe,immediately against the respective outside faces of said rails, and thelongitudinally extending arms of which frame cranks bear against thecheek pieces rf", or kindred abutmcnts, connected with or being apartot' the near end of the sliding Slat-frame. The transversely extendingarms of the frame-cranks a' are, at their Outer extremities, providedwith links Z which extend longitudinally along the respective upper andlower rails ofthe tixedslat-frame, and are pivotally con nccted at theirfar extremities to the transverse members oi' counter frame cranks c,conveniently fulcrumed upon the aforesaid upper and lower raiis of theiiXed Slat-frame, and engaging with their longitudinal arms countercheek pieces ro upon the far end of the sliding slatframe. rlhcduplication of the frame cranks and cheek pieces, by the connection withthem, through the links, of cou nter frame-cranks and cou nter checkpieces, is simply for the purpose of equalizing thrust upon the slidingframe and preventing its binding within the xed slat-frame.

X are a series of frame springs, being fiat springs respectively securedat one extremity to the inside face of the panel frame, and as to theother extremity bearing upon the back of the sliding frame. The officeof these springs is to maintain the sliding frame normally within thefixed frame and the respectiveseries of slats closed together.

Such being a preferred contrivauce for oceasioning the moving of thesliding slat frame, its operation will be readily understood.

Depression of the pedal is attended, through the pedal lever, with anelevation ofthe pedal rod, accompanied, in turn, by a right handdeflection of the rocker bell-crank, by a partial oscillatiou of therock shaft, and by such athrow of the framecranks and counterframecranks as to occasion, by the thrust of said cranks against thecheek pieces, an inward movement of the sliding frame sufficientlystrong to, for the time being, overcome the resisting stress of theframe springs. In order to conveniently operate the slats of the lowerpanel, I provide the pedal lever with a supplemental pedal rod t3, whichacts upon a supplemental rocker bell-crank t* co-operatiug with a set ofdevices, applied to the aforesaid lower panel for occasioning themovement of its frame, entirely similar to the set above described inconnection with the upper panel. In order without continued footpressure to maintain the pedal depressed against the stress of the framesprings, and the slats in consequence open, it is convenient to provide'the pedal with a spring-actuated retaining catch t5, Figs. l, 7 and 8,the hooked extremity of which is by a spring t, secured to the catch andacting against the face of the casing, retained in a notch c in thecasing, when once, by the depression of the pedal, engaged therein. Anyother contrivance operative to the same purpose can, however, besubstituted for the spring catch.

K is what I term a key board swell, it being a swinging board hingednear or at its base, and constituting when raised the back face orvertical rear boundary of the key board. It

is a device which may be employed singly in ordinary upright pianos, oremployed in a piano embodying the improvements hereinbefore recited, asa supplementary' casing-opening, so to speak, serving to admit of theescape, immediately above the keys, of tone. lt can be operated by anysuch hand lever contrivance as a piano maker would naturally employ, or,in connection with my slat device, can be operated from the pedal rod bythe application of a swell lever 7c connected at its rear extremity witha lug k on said pedal rod, and at its front extremity engaging against alip kl extending rearwardly from the key board swell.

Normally, the keyboard swell stands vertically, but elevation of thepedal rod occasions a downward movement of the front extremity of theswell lever lr, and a backward deflection of the swell from the verticalinto a horizontal position. Depression of the pedal rod, oceasioning areverse movement of the swell-lever, occasions the lifting of the swellinto its normal vertical position by the impinging action of the frontextremity of said swell lever upon the rear face of the swell.

Such being a description of a convenient embodiment of my improvements,it is only necessary to add that the sounding defiector serves totransmit and magnify the vibrations which it receives from the pinblock, and to redetlect, detleet, and reverberate to the ears of theplayer and forward into the apartment the aggregate tone of its ownvibrations, the vibrations of the pin block, and the vibrations from therear of the sounding board.

The slats, when closed, transmit and magnify the vibrations of theinstrument, giving forth pure tone only after the manner of a soundingboard as such; and, when open, afford vent to the entire tone existingwithin the instrument, it being, however, augmented in volume andimproved in quality by reverberating upon and from their surfaces.

I am aware that I am not the first to provide openings through the frontface of a casing of a piano for the escape of tone; and also aware thatopenings in the front face of an upright piano have been combined withpiv- Oted irreverberatory lids or plates for opening or closing toagreater or less extent the discharge openings, have been employed, andto such invention broadly I lay no claim, but

What I do claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is:v

l. An upright piano, having a sounding detlector intermediate betweenand Yextending from the pin block to the front of the casing,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. An upright piano, having a sounding de flector intermediate betweenand extending from the pin block to the front of the casing, iucombination with a casing front containing or embodying a sounding boardsurface, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. An upright piano having a sounding del flector intermediate betweenand extending from the pin block to the front of the casing. incombination with a casing front containing slats, substantially as setforth.

4. An upright piano having a sounding detlector intermediate between andextending from the pin block to the front of the casing, in combinationwith a easing front containing slats and provided with a key boardswell, substantiall y as set forth.

5. An upright piano, the top portion or head of the frame-work of whichis provided with channels or tone conductors having forwardlyfacingmouths, in combination with a sounding detiector or sound boardintermediate between and extending from the pin block to the front ofthe casing, and with a casing front containing slats, substantially asset forth.

6. An upright piano, the front face of the casing of which contains apanel-surface con- ICO IIO

sisting, essentially, ol" two series ofaltcrnating slats respectivelydisposed in parallel planes, substantially as set forth.

7. An upright piano, the front face of the casing ol which contains apanel surface consisting, essentially, of two series of alternatingslats respectively disposed in parallel planes, and which is providedwith suitable means for occasioning the approach or recession of therespective series ot' slats, substantially as set forth.

S. .an upright piano, the front face of the casing of' which contains apanel of slats, the said panel consisting of two series ofsemi-cylindric, reverberating, alternating, slats lying in parallelplanes, and, by series, reversely disposed in order that, when the slatsof one series are brought into contact with the slats of the otherseries, the said slats may register edge to edge and constitute acorrugated panel surface, sul'lstantially as set forth.

9. The combination, to form the front face of the casing of an uprightpiano, of a panel frame, a slati'rainc contained within said panel frameand having a series or" separated slats, and a second slati'ranie,containing a corre sponding` series of separated slats alternatelydisposed with respect to the slats of the first Series, and which ismovable with respect to the slat frame first referred to, in order tooccasion the meeting or lapping of the edges of the slats, and therebyto provide, or to close, openings between the slats of the respectiveseries, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, in an upright piano, of a panel frame forits fronti`ace,-a slat frame contained within said panel frame and having aseriesofseparated slats,-asecond slat frame, containing a corresponding seriesof separated. slats alternately disposed with respect to the slats ofthe lrst series, and which is movable with respect to the slat frameiirst referred to, in order to occasion the meeting or lapping of theedges of the slats, and thereby to provide, or to close, openingsbetween the slats of the respective series,and suitable means, under thecontrol of the player for occasioning the relative approach orseparation of the slats of the aforesaid respective series,substantially 'as set forth.

In testimony whereof lhave herenntosigned my name this 3d day of`Blarch, 18e 7.

XV. H. BUTTON.

In presence ol"M J. BoNsALL TAYLOR, WM. C. STRAWBRIDGE.

